04 Feb All Or Nothing
We’ve just completed the first month of 2020! Yahoo! A lot of us try and do a “dry January” to start the new year feeling our best. The beginning of the year is a good time to capitalize on the inspiration and motivation that comes at this time to adopt healthier habits. Why not take advantage of this, right? But what happens on February 1st? Typically, this is what I see happens or what used to happen to me. I would go into the dry January with the mindset that I can do this for a month without any real foresight into what happens after that. I also would go in with feelings of lack of what I can’t have instead of all the things I get to have and experience. Here’s a few tips to help dry January last a bit longer or to help ease the pain.
#1 Find replacements that you enjoy so that you can continue to enjoy these perhaps even a few more nights a week beyond January. I’ve learned that I LOVE tea. I never knew that about myself. Tea is now a ritual that I really enjoy that feels just as good as a glass of wine. When 5pm rolls around and you really want to grab a drink, try having your favorite cup of tea ready instead. Or experiment with a non alcoholic beer or even a nice mocktail of choice. There are endless possibilities you can create to replace the habit of grabbing the drink. Get creative and have fun with it!
#2 Determine why you are choosing to do a dry January. If it’s because you want to get healthier and drink a bit less, this information provides valuable insight into your future choices. Really knowing your “why” will give you a lot of personal power and awareness to help you make the best choices possible. I made the choice to not drink that much because I know I feel better, have more mental clarity and have deeper connections with people when I feel clean and clear. AND, I know I can have a drink if I want to. I make my own empowered decisions based on clear intentional reasons that I’ve thought about.
And, Lastly, don’t beat yourself up! Everyday is a new day of choices and decisions. Keep being aware of what makes you feel best and then act accordingly. And have fun with it all!! Don’t torture yourself. Remember you are not taking away fun partying with your friends if you choose not to drink. You are adding in feeling better in the morning, having more energy in the day, more mental clarity and deeper connections with those around you.
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